Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has said he’s responsible for the club’s poor start to the season, while also refusing to confirm that star forward Joao Felix wants to leave the club.
Atletico — who return to action on Thursday against Elche — are fifth in LaLiga and crashed out of the Champions League, finishing bottom of their group to miss out on Europa League football.
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That financial blow saw the club allow forward Matheus Cunha to join Wolves, while Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin said earlier this month that Felix could depart if the right offer arrived.
“We had four players in the World Cup final [Antoine Griezmann, Rodrigo de Paul, Nahuel Molina and Angel Correa] and three of them played a lot,” Simeone said in a news conference on Wednesday when questioned on his squad planning. “We have a good squad. Maybe who isn’t doing what they should is the coach.
“There are good players here. Joao [Felix] was a sensation at the World Cup. [Yannick] Carrasco and Axel [Witsel] started for Belgium. We have important players. I have to improve so they can raise their level in LaLiga … we’re having a bad to average season and that isn’t about names.
